Valmiki Ramayana 2.87.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87, Shloka 23
गुहसंवादः—रामस्य रात्रिवासवर्णनम्
Dialogue with Guha: Account of Rama’s Night Halt
तत स्त्वहंचोत्तमबाणचापधृत् स्थितोऽभवं तत्र स यत्र लक्ष्मणः।अतन्द्रितैर्ज्ञातिभिरात्तकार्मुकैर्महेन्द्रकल्पं परिपालयंस्तदा।।।।
tatas tv ahaṃ cottamabāṇacāpadhṛt sthito ’bhavaṃ tatra sa yatra lakṣmaṇaḥ |
atandritair jñātibhir āttakārmukair mahendrakalpaṃ paripālayan tadā ||
അതിനുശേഷം ഞാൻ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ അമ്പുകളും ധനുസ്സും കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച്, ലക്ഷ്മണൻ നിന്നിരുന്ന അതേ സ്ഥലത്ത് നിലകൊണ്ടു; ക്ഷീണമറിയാത്ത, ധനുസ്സുയർത്തിയ എന്റെ ബന്ധുക്കളോടൊപ്പം ചേർന്ന്, മഹേന്ദ്രനുപമനായ രാമനെ അന്നേരം കാത്തുരക്ഷിച്ചു.
Then, holding the best of arrows and bow along with my indefatigable kinsmen similarly armed with bows, I stood by the side of Lakshmana guarding Rama who is comparable to Indra.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে অযোধ্যাকাণ্ডে সপ্তাশীতিতমস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the eightyseventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
Dharma here is vigilant protection of the righteous and faithful service: Guha and his men stand guard to ensure Rāma’s safety, treating safeguarding a virtuous person as a moral duty.
During Rāma’s forest-exile journey, Guha describes how he positioned himself near Lakṣmaṇa, with armed kinsmen, to guard Rāma through the night/at that time.
Loyalty and alert guardianship—steadfast readiness to protect without fatigue (atandrita), reflecting disciplined devotion to a noble guest and to righteousness.
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